Following the backlash from the community, Apple today said that it has reversed its decision, and assured that PCalc’s Notification Center calculator widget will live on, and so will other calculator widgets on the App Store.

Now we’re hearing that Apple is changing its course. The PCalc app and widget will remain in the App Store, and all calculator-type widgets will be allowed as well, an Apple spokesperson has confirmed to us.

From our understanding, the calculator use case was not one that Apple had anticipated, which is why an App Store reviewer originally explained to Thomson that he would need to adjust the app, or risk being pulled from the App Store.

Apple has time and again been criticised for not making App Store guidelines clear enough, or not implementing them universally. Developers spend effort into building features, and the lack of clarity can poses a huge risk that could make all their efforts useless.

It still isn’t very clear what went behind Apple’s decision to remove the widget, and why it went back on its decision today.

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wolf39us

Okay, good! I was kind of disappointed in Apple for not allowing calculations, that seemed silly to me. Looks like someone else at Apple thought it was kind of silly too.

BeyatchKillah

Nice! Now we just need them to put “Launcher” back in the app store…

Abel Goddard

The problem, as I see it, is the lack of a calculator on the iPad. I had previously installed an app in order to have one, but I didn’t know a widget was possible or had been done until I saw the article. I quickly went and installed it on my iPad. I’m glad they reversed the decision.

Tatsh

Agreed. Still boggles the mind why Apple hides those apps on iPad: Weather, Passbook, Calculator, and a few others. Some are iPhone-only apps but they are useful.

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